Black Bean Soup

I decided to add a new soup to the recipe-repertoire this week. I came across a Black Bean Soup on Allrecipes.com which provided a perfect base to start with. This soup took all of 20 minutes to make, ideal for a Monday evening, and was plenty filling for both my hunger needs and those of Max Man. I added additional spices including cayenne, chili powder and some garlic powder. Rather than salsa, I grabbed a can of fire roasted tomatoes and green chiles, I also cut back on the sour cream and vegetable stock use to decrease the sodium and fat content. Enjoy this delicious and nutritious dish!

Click here for my recipe's nutritional facts calculated at SparkRecipes.com.

Grocery List:

• 2 cans organic black beans, rinsed and drained
• 10 oz. can fire roasted tomatoes and green chiles (love the fire roasted, adds a smokey taste!)
• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
• 2 tbsp. fat free sour cream
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• Garlic powder to taste
• Cayenne to taste
• Shredded cheese and green onion for garnish

So, my camera battery was flashing at me to say - you've nearly drained me and I'm feeling temperamental. Therefore, I too feeling temperamental, shot the bare minimum and they aren't pretty. The reason I do step-by step was because when I was first starting out, I always second guessed myself. I would go through the process and feel like I am doing something way wrong... is it supposed to look like that? So, I will include these uglies because yes, it does look like this and still turns out well, you are not the only one. This will be as simple as it gets with just 3 steps. Ready?

1) Heat a pot and dump the beans, can of tomatoes, and vegetable stock. Add the cumin, chili powder, garlic powder and let simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors together. Add and blend in the sour cream.

2) If you have an immersion blender, leave ingredients in the pot. Otherwise, transfer contents into a blender or food processor. This next part is up to your soup consistency preferences. I like a decent puree but not a full one, leaving some black beans in their natural form rather than totally pulverized. And blend....

 

3) Once you've reached your desired consistency you can allow to simmer or serve. Taste test, make sure you don't want to add more to it. Ladle into bowls, garnish with chopped green onions, a tsp. of shredded cheese and like Mr. Max did, another dollop of sour cream. Last but not least... go enjoy it!

Tastefully yours,